Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Last night I was a guest on Coast to Coast AM. It was my job as a guest making a cameo appearance for a news segment to answer popular host George Noory's questions about the Japanese seismologist who was tagged a "nobody" due to his Japan earthquake predictions. Ironically, he was right. Both the 1995 Kobe quake and 9.0 great quake that rocked Japan on March 11 happened. To me, that man is a somebody.There was so much I wanted to say. After all, I did pen the book The Man Who Predicts Earthquakes: Jim Berkland, Maverick Geologist. But in two New York minutes my words were short and sweet, sort of. After I explained why the Katsuhiko Isibashis in the world are dismissed for their seismic warnings, I surprised myself.I dished out my own forecast (because that's what I do every day and night as a phone psychic for two international networks). It was a bit early (I pen an annual Earth Changes Forecasts article for Oracle 20/20 Magazine every January) but it was the right time. My right brain (the creative thoughts without logical thinking) was on a roll, so to speak, so I called it as I saw it. And yes, logic does follow. Caveat: I hope I'm wrong on this one, though. One more thing. Today, a strong quake hit Japan. The earthquake near the East Coast of Honshu was upgraded to a 6.1. That spooked me. Is it foreshadow of what's to come?

Sunday, November 20, 2011

If the honey bees become extinct our food chain, mankind, and Earth will end as we know it.

5 Questions:

Where Have All the Honey Bees Gone?

Q. Colony Collapse Disorder was excluded as a cause of the dead bees in the Florida incident. So, what exactly is this term?A. Back in 2006, an apiary owner in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, made the problem known. Penn State researchers took note of the bee colony decline, due to a condition now known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). This condition causes honey bee colonies to simply vanish without a trace—go AWOL leaving their hives in the dust—lending to eerie images of The Happening and I Am Legend sci-fi films of human and animal extinction.

Q. What are some of the theories behind CCD?A. Theories include climate change, diet, mites, pesticides, and viruses. Also, the stress of traveling for pollination of crops and the usage of cell phones (perhaps due to the radiation), chemtrails, and even changes in the Earth's magnetic field are in the mixed bag of possibilities for why the bees are vanishing and leaving their beekeepers out of work and shocked by losing half or more of their prized colonies to an unknown cause.

Q. How will the die-off of the honey bee affect our food chain?A. Millions of acres of U.S. fruit, vegetable, oilseed, and legume crops depend on insect pollination—and that includes the sacred honey bees. This little insect gives human gifts from the hive but also helps pollinate our crops (one-third), home gardens, and wildlife habitat. And don’t forget most beef and dairy products enjoyed in the United States count on insect-pollinated legumes, such as alfalfa and clover. Worse, if the bee disappears our food chain would decline in diversity and quantity, and images of the futuristic doomsday films without fresh food like Soylent Green and The Road could become a grave reality.

Q. What are scientists doing about CCD?

A. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is trying to help get a handle on Colony Collapse Disorder. In 2010 it dished out $6 million in emergency assistance to beekeepers who had lost their bees. And scientists are busy at work trying to discover what exactly is causing the vanishing of honey bees.

California bee expert Dr. Eric Mussen of UC Davis says, “None of us know why the bees are not as vital as they used to be. In many cases this may be due to limited access to a good varied supply of pollens.” He hopes in our lifetime scientists will discover what is killing the honey bees. “But,” he adds, “even if we find the cause, will we be able to overcome it?”

Q. What can youdo to help keep the honey bee alive and well?

A. Devote a portion of your property to growing annual and perennial plants the bloom consecutively over the whole season that honey bees are collecting nectar and pollens for food. Reduce the pesticides of all kinds to a minimum. In areas with extended dry periods, supply fresh water in a way so that visiting bees don’t become a nuisance.

Consider donating funds to bee researchers around the country who are trying to determine the cause of CCD and what can be done to bolster the bee populations.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

News headlines continue to show us that the honey we buy may not be pure.In my new book The Healing Powers of Honey: A Complete Guide to Nature's Remarkable Nectar! (Kensington, October 2011), I note that people in the honey bee world, know that the honey they see in some grocery stores and dollar stores may not be 100 percent pure but instead be "adulterated" (contaminated with tainted elements). This fact is upsetting to people because not only are we not getting what we pay for, but we also are being duped, as often the honey is tainted with unhealthful, cheaper ingredients. This ordeal is making the nes more rather than less and it's causing concern for both consumers and beekeeers.All-natural, 100 percent pure honey will have one ingredients listed on the nutrition label: honey. Imitation honeys, much like quality imitation dark chocolate, are not a laughing matter in the real world. Honey-flavored syrups, or honey that's diluted with other ingredients, are becoming more commonplace and being sold to the unaware consumer. To be sure you get the pure golden food of the gods, check the label. Don't get stung! Find out all you want to know and more in The Healing Powers of Honey. (Source: National Honey Board.)

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Superfood honey can be used to sweeten up a homemade pumpkin or sweet potato pie for the upcoming holidays.--Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

1.Cal tell us a little bit about your background? I'm an author-Intuitive…known for the internationally popular Healing Powers book series. 2.When did you get interested in the healing power of foods? Since a teen back in the 70s I was a “granola girl.” I ate fruits/vegetables/yogurt. It was “in” to be lean and fit. So I was and still am a “health nut.” I was going to be a nutritionist but ended up getting my master’s degree in English (Creative Writing).3.I understand you have written several other healing power books? The Healing Powers Book Series began back in 1999 when I penned The Healing Powers of Vinegar. The rest is history. Several years later, the book was a success. Olive oil, chocolate, and honey followed. 4.Your book draws on interviews with medical doctors, beekeepers, and researchers about the positive effects of honey? Yes, I did go to the “experts” who know about how honey and honey bees…and they told me how this superfood which has been used since biblical times can heal via health improvements to home cures. Also, I met abeekeeper and his queen Italian bees…and I spoke with beekeepers around the globe. I interviewed the editor of Bee Culture Magazine (The Healing Powers of Honey received a positive review in the October issue) about trends of city hobbyist bee keepers to CCD—the mysterious vanishing and die-off of bees with an unknown cause. And I got to taste straight from the hive… honeycomb.A hexagon structure made from beeswax by honey bees to hold honey. 5.Tell us what makes honey so healthy? It’s got vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting antioxidants (molecules in superfoods like fruits/vegetables) that can stall Father Time and enhance the immune system andkeep our cells healthy.

6.How many honey varieties are there? Hundreds…more than 300 in U.S. from different floral sources. I got up close and intimate with more than 30…we’re talking different flavors from different sources.The darker varieties are the healthiest…a bit of a challenge for the palate: manuka to buckwheat---which are commonly used in health and honey studies. My faves are sage, wildflower, white honey from Hawaii, pumpkin, blackberry--and orange blossom. Once you taste the varietals there's no going back to one honey flavor. 7.Are there major differences between raw honey and the commercial varieties? Yes, raw is healthier but mass market varieties still have benefits, too. The real, raw, unprocessed, unheated, unfiltered kind of honey that you get straight from the hive—honeycomb—is the real deal with the good for you antioxidants. Think pure ACV, quality dark cocoa. 8.What are some short-term health benefits of consuming honey? Home cures: I've turned to honey for sore throat, allergies, cough, cuts, anxiety, stress, fatigue, and it can even boost libido! What's more, manuka honey--found in Australia and New Zealand--is simply amazing for its healing perks. If you have a cut, like I did on my foot, it can heal it in days, thanks to honey's super amazing antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits.9.You say honey can help lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, increase longevity and even reduce boy fat and unwanted weight? Indeed… If you stay clear of the big diseases…you’ll up the odds of living longer. And honey can help stave off the major life-threatening diseases because of its different compounds. I show studies with humans (not just lab rats) in my honey book how it works to back up this fact.10.You say pure, raw, unprocessed honey is a healthier sweetener than table sugar and high fructose corn syrup? You get only empty nutrition with white table sugar…HFCS is controversial but I stay clear from it--found in fruit juice drinks to processed foods. Honey contains dozens of different substances (minerals, vitamins, antioxidants) which makes it more like a fruit than sugar. Sugar and HFCS are simpler compounds containing only glucose and fructose, honey is more of a “functional or superfood”—because of its compounds.11.How many calories typically per teaspoon? 21--a dieter's dream. And just a spoonful will provide energy to get a move on and boost your metabolism as well as curb that sweet tooth so you're not tempted to overeat sweets that are laden with saturated fat, calories, and added sugar. 12.How much Honey do you recommend people eat daily or weekly? 5 teaspoons/8teaspoons women/men. (None for babies younger than one year old.) 13.How can you use honey in your beauty routine? It’s used in DIY recipes/store bought beauty products/top-notch spa treatments. I use all types to help keep my hair and skin healthy. I was treated to a honey bath at a plush European-style hotel and the story is unforgettable. My skin felt so smooth.14.What kind of recipes are there in your book? Scrumptious recipes that'll wow you. The book was purchased by The Good Cook Book Club. Spa chefs/honey companies (big and small) provided many recipesincluding Honey Biscotti, Bee Breakfast Smoothie, Honey Poppy Seed Salad Dressing, Honey Glazed Hen, Honey Berries with Lime Pound Cake, and Sweet Potato Pie. Wholesome, down-to-earth ingredients are used--mostly from the Mediterranean diet--are used. I'm talking whole grains, nuts, fresh fruit and vegetables, dark chocolate, and olive oil as a primary fat.15. What easy ways can our listeners use honey in their everyday lives? Use a teaspoon of honey in tea/coffee daily and/or drizzle on fresh fruit or whole grain bread to get a double punch of antioxidants.The Healing Powers of Honey (Kensington, October 2011) by Cal Orey is available at online bookstores including www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com , local bookstores, OneSpirit bookclubs, and other popular grocery stores including Walmart, Smiths, and Target.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Monday morning wake-up predictions with Mancow about what's buzzworthy in the future.--Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

Up early at 4:30 AM to make a guest cameo appearance on The Mancow Show. I thought I was going to talk about "oddest phobias" (Friday 13th, sleeping, money) but no. As an intuitive I sensed I'd be tossed a curve ball. Really, well sort of.

As a phone psychic for two international phone networks, I dish out readings on cue. Today, Mancow asked for one. Yikes. On the spot I reacted like a cat not ready or willing to perform tricks. Funny, he asked me to "read" him...I drew a blank. I said: "You drank coffee." (I was right.) I then added: "Fuzzy like a eight ball. Try again."

Weird, I can read anyone...Perhaps it was the audience vibe or his strong energy like a fire sign. Yet he is a water/air cuspie. (Very odd. I was blocked but when doing phone readings it comes easily. I felt static like a radio station couldn't get a signal.)

The Mancow did recall my past on-air past prediction for a strong quake in the midwest this year which did hit big-time over the weekend--and 280 miles east is the New Madrid Zone (the seven states shook). This time around he asked me how I do it--predictions. I said it is a "gift" -- "comes to me like writing." I, the writer labeled "author" added, "Right brain, creative." And then came the predictions, per the popular host's request...* 2012 will be "like a rollercoaster." * Presidential election will be crazy.
* If you thought 2011 quakes were scary, 2012 will be super spooky. I'm feeling West Coast and/or America--we've been lucky for the most part so far.
* Dec. 21 will not be the end but "Fasten your seat belts" for the upcoming year.
One more thing. I forecast Obama will be re-elected--but I didn't mention it on air so here it is, whether we like it or not.

And then I disappeared like Glenda the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz. Poof. I wanted to pour another cup of java (Gingerbread/Columbian) and since I was up I signed onto the psychic networks. The phone rang when I was half asleep. No problem. It was a question about a job and friend. A shake-up and stress-related illness(es). It was an easy read, like usual. Mancow? Probably off- air reading him could be a piece of coffee cake with a cuppa coffee (or two). And now the phone is ringing..."Intuitive Callie."

Sunday, November 6, 2011

In Oracle 20/20 Magazine, January 2011 issue, Cal Orey predicted a strong shaker in the Midwest/New Madrid Zone that would be felt in several states for 2011. -- Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

Yesterday when Oklahoma began to get some shakers, back to back, I posted on my site Earthquake Epicenter Forum that a swarm was happening. "What's up?" Hours later, a registered 5.2 (upgraded to a 5.6) quake hit Oklahoma. I had noted Missouri and Arkansas in my forecast. (AR and MO are on the east).And these two states did get a whole lotta shaking. But there's more...

This strong earthquake was widely felt in the several states of the New Madrid Zone (as I had forecasted would happen). I'm talking Indiana, Illinois, Arkansas, Missouri, and probably the three other states, too. Reports of feeling it to the USGS are backed up. It stopped at 56,000 plus.Folks on EEC site are wondering "What's going on?"As an intuitive, I say: "The New Madrid Zone is waking up." I know, I know, OK is not in the Zone but...that is where the epi was (nothing new but stronger than before in this and last century). What's more, it was felt there back in 1811/1812 when the New Madrid Great Quakes happened--and could be affected again if and "if" this quake triggers a stronger shaker east--in the New Madrid Fault Zone. And history does and can repeat itself. The question is--"Is the Midwest going to have a sequel to the great quakes of the 19th century?" It's possible. When? If you want a time frame I'll say any time from now through 2012.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

It snowed yesterday in the Sierra. I have this love-hate relationship with the cold weather. It really wasn't much of a storm, perhaps foreshadow of the white powder to come. Still, my weather forecast for the Fall till late December is nothing to write home about. We may get a few more storms but that will mean slush and rain with temperatures in the low digits at lake level. I can do that. (See Callie in hooded turtleneck sweater, hooded sweatshirt, jeans, mittens, Sorels, neck scarf, ski hat...like the character by the fireplace in the library in the film "The Day After Tomorrow.")

As a city girl, I have to say I miss the culture, people, malls, bistros, and weather of the SF Bay Area. Ah, the fog and overcast. Not sure why I get the moving bug during this time of year--but I do.

Also, it seems like everyone I know is going to Europe: Geologist Jim Berkland is in Portugal (or in the process of getting there); another acquaintance is talking abroad; and someone just got back from Spain.

Meanwhile, I go to the resort pool/hot tub and talk to the straggling tourists (it's off season) and get a bit of culture vicariously through them. And there is the Psychic Power Network and Psychics Forever where I can read the callers calling from different countries. It's a quick fix of going abroad, sort of. (It helps if I'm sipping exotic tea or coffee.)

Perhaps I am meant to stay in my Tahoe rustic cabin, making a crackling fire (I did it last night; my first one of the season), cuddle up with Zen (my Siamese love kitty) and my Brittany duo, and watch Julia in "Eat, Pray, Love".... This lifestyle is in the stars for me, for now. So, chilling and creating articles about Earth Changes, food, and honey to being a guest on radio shows to spread the word about my new book The Healing Powers of Honey (Kensington)--next week I will be doing it in Italy--is as good as it gets. Maybe I should learn Spanish. Or not. Hola.

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BIO: CAL OREY--

I'm a born and raised Californian who keeps it real. I hold two degrees in English (Creative Writing) from SFSU, and pen the "hugely successful" Healing Powers Series (on homepage), available at bookstores; (translated in 20 languages), all have been featured by book clubs, including Good Cook and Literary Guild. As a former Woman's World Weekly diet-nutrition columnist, I dish up--health perks, and fresh Mediterranean foods with a West Coast twist.

If you'd like Cal to make an appearance at your bookstore or tearoom, or magazine interview, contact Director of Publicity at Kensington Publishing Corp. kauerbach@kensingtonbooks.com